Structures having components with dimensions on a nanometer scale are being considered for use in the areas of optics, electronics, mechanics, magnetism and so forth. Nanostructures encompass various structures referred to as, for example, nanoparticles, nanotubes or quantum dots, and may potentially be used as building blocks for ordered and complex materials.
For data storage media, including bit patterned media (BPM) and discrete track media (DTM), the patterning of ultra-high density dot array or line array, with a periodicity as small as 25 nm or less is desirable. However, since optical lithography is limited by the diffraction limit, the resolution of conventional optical lithography is usually limited to about 50 nm half-pitch. Thus conventional optical lithography may not be suitable for fabricating such nanostructures for bit patterned magnetic storage media.
A high-throughput patterning method is desired for forming nanostructures on a substrate. Self-assembly technology has the potential to provide both ultrahigh-density patterning and high throughput.